The Sun. — London, England, 1826-08-15 00:00:00

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. • We have been led to understand that a new trial will be moved for in the case of the idiot Smith, wherein `a ver dict of 4004 was given the other day against a provincial newspaper for an alleged libel. The ground of the motion for a new trial will, it is said, be the " predetermined bias of one of the jurors" in favour of the plaintiffs. Of the truth of such a charge against a certain Member of that Jury, we shall offer no opinion ; not because we have formed no opinion —no very decided opinion with regard to it; but because Me charge itself is to constitute the foundation of a grave proceeding in one of the Courts at Westminster. That some sort of iniluence—we do not aver a corrupt or unlawful influence—will be presuMed by many people to have swayed the minds of the above Jury, `is probable, from a curious circumstance which occurred the same day and in the sarse Court. Soon after the ver dict for 4004 damages had been delivered against the Bir mingham Paper, for copying the statement of the idiot's wrongs from another public print, the SalOpiart Journal, the original publisher of the narrative, had to sustain an action of damages, brought by the same plaintiffs, and for the - publication of the libel; the same evidence was read, by the Judge, the same topics of exeuation dwelt upon, and a verdict recorded for 100/.! The original circu lator, therefore, of a disgraceful ,history, is criminal to the extent only of one hundred pounds; while he who depends on the authority of the first historian, so far as to repeat what he has asserted, must suffer to four times the amount; and, by consequence, the copier from the copy is criminal to the amount of 1,6001. Now if such be the progress of dainages for each remove of a story from its source, what can it at length result in, but a stop to the transmission of all intelligence from one part of the kingdom to *mother ? And here we must, with due reverence to his station, advert to the language of the Learned Judge, uuder whose tutelary and presiding genius the two actions in this case were tried. Mr. Justice Burrough is reported to have said, that it is " no justification of adefendant" to say that heohas copied a giVen statement from another paper. Rigidly speaking, a legal justification, on which to found a verdict of acquit tal, we may, indeed, imagine that it is not. But does the learned justice mean to say that it is no moral insti fimtion ?—that it is nothing towards palliating an offence, or towards mitigating the amount of damages? If Mr. juitice Burrough Means that, we are directly - at ,issue with him. We do affirm, that in common sense, and by strict moral necessity, the severest punishment—if any punishment—ought to be visited on the first publisher of an obnoxious narrative. The person who originally cir culates a paragraph containing eriminatory matter, is bound to exercise ordinary judgment in examining the pro bability of its truth or falsehood ; and if there be not a prima facie balance of evidence in support of the truth, he owes it to himself, to the party, and to the public to sup press it. But what is the duty of the second circulator ? —why,. to consider the responsibility resting on the first, and the general credit due to him. It is physically ims possible for journalists in distant parts of an exten sive country, to know, as Justice Burrough seems to require, the truth or falsehood of a story at first sight. If they published nothing for which they could not personally vouch, they would exhibit a precious vacuity. of columns, /paucity of readers, and deficit of con tributions to the revenues of the StamP-office. No; a co pying journalist relies on the general respectability of the print from which he copies. He gives the foes! news paper credit for a knoWl e d ge o f w h at passes i n i ts own neighbourhood, which it would be presumption in him to doubt; and this reasonable degree of credit is as indispen *able to the preservation of aright intelligence and popular sympathy throughout the kingdom, as credit of another and more easily pervertible kind is to the existence of its commerce. The mischief of a private libel 'being mostly confined to a single spot, the carelessness or malice which has thrown it into circulation, ought to be there, if any where, visited- with 'seventy. The vermin Oates as it travels—heenmes more spiritless anti harmless as the no velty of the flavour passes away ; and, above all, where names and localities are unknown, loses nine tenths of its vexatious power. But Mr. Justice Burrongli asserts be fore the country, -that a plea of justification only aggra vates the wrong, unless every part of it can be proved in evidence—and states such a plea as matter of aggravation to the Jury, Now, here two remarks of considerable weight present themselves. L What plea, but one of justification, can be naturally put upon the record by tin hohest and. bona fide defendant ? The more implicitly a H man believes the truth of any statement that ho has. been induced to publish, the greater must be his confidence In . the' validity of , his plea of justification. Is it • sible that a Judge, • who has fir so many years as counsel been in the habit of -observing, and if he had any zeal for his clients, of feeling the frequency with which the most upright Cathie breaks down from accidental failures of 'the evidence—is it possible, we say, that such a man ran seriously charge it as blameable in a defendant, that he be lieves something more than it turns out that he can prove in his own justification ? 2. It was to the jury that the Learned Judge represented an unproved plea of justifica tion as a circumstance aggraVating the original injury. For what was this ?—that they should make a correspond ing increase to the damages. Now we shall never bring ourselves to recognize or understand the justice of such a principle. The jury are called upon to try whether a cer tain publication was a libel; they are not sunummed into court to ascertain whether that libel received subsequent aggravations from the species of defence which the coun sel advised' the defending party to rely upon. In that case the defendant would be punished for the non-attend ance, perhaps the death, of witnesses—at all events for matter subsequent to that which forms the•subject of the trial. What. is worse, the jury would have •to decide a new question, superit:duced upon that which was t egu 'arty raiserl for their consideration, and virtually- to bring in.a verdict upon an issue which they are not sworn to try.—Times. The Chancery Bar would seem to entertain a suspicion, that the patience of the Lord Chancellor is like to prove as ruinous to their constitutions, as it has hitherto proved to the fortunes of suitors. Mr. I fart confessed yesterday that he was fairly worn out, and Mr: Horne observed, that if his Lordship went on with the business, it must be with out the presence of Counsel. Mr. Agar touched on what was rather a sore place; namely, that his Lordship might be detained in town on some political business ; though we have no doubt it was thrown out with a view to appease his'brethren of the ha, who might thence be led to infer, that the more attractive pursuits of politics really kept him in town, and not any wish fairly to knock up the Bar.—The Chancellor, however, seems always very impatient when his political labonrs are alluded to, and to be us unwilling to hear of his diligene in the Cabieet, as a Methodist to hear himself charged with an affair of gallantry.—ln the Vice-Chancellor's Court yesterday, an observation was ma d e by Mr. Heald, kom which we may infer, that in the.opirtion of that gentleman, frequent decisions would be better Wan protracted . sittings. In the ease Scott r. Hanson, he said, with relpect to an Observation made by the Vice . .. Chancello— r. " Ile was glad: to hear such an observation corning from a . Judge. /VOL a prabge , . of an much experience as h is Honour, and too, who had decided almost all. the cases have beta de. cided late years a» the Court of Chancery." The signs of the times are portentous.. What arc w e to infer from this general eagerness to tell unpleasant truths to his Lordship ? The case of partners proving against each other (ex-parte Sillitoo) wa s again brought forward yesterday by the Vice Chancellor, who professed himself still unable to comprehend the principle of the Lord Chancellor's decision. The point is of the utmost importance to the commercial world , a n d therefore, we trust, Our. readers will excuse us for reverting so often to this case, "to the ease of Gina°. (said his Ifonour) six persons were partners in a bank, but two were traders, as ironmongers, and they only had credit at the Bank of England for diaconate.' When tba,baain concern got into difficulties, they procured 8,0001. in ~~ 6atway, which they advanced to their partners, and when both houses failed, the creditors of the iron aerie naturally thought they had a right to prove for that sum upon the assets of the banking house. The question had been brought into that Court, 'and he had pronounced an opinion that they had; but, upon ap peal to the Lord Chancellor, that decision was reversed. His Lordship had then said that there was a general rule, by which no partner could prove against a banking *tin rem peOtion with the creditors, because the creditors of that firm must be considered as his own, and that this rule mast' be without any exception, except when partners traded and dealt in two distinct abodes of trade.'! To an ordinary understanding, the reason of this tation seems utterly incomprehensible. If 'the assets of the Ironmonger concern were diminished by 8,0001. ob tained through discounts, for the sake of the Banking concern, to refuse the creditors of the former to prove on the latter, seems to be favouring one set of creditors at the expence of the other. The nature of the commodity in which the advance was made seems_ of no earthly con sequence when the competition is between creditors and creditors. The utmost confusion must be introduced into commercial affairs by the distinction without a difference of the Lord Chancellor's decision. Hitherto an inspec tion of the books of a concern has been supposed' to sup ply the means to creditors of forming some judgment re specting the state in which it is. For instance, a creditor of the ironmonger concern had, before the decision of the Lord Chancellor, only to be aware of the advance to the banking concern, and to judge of the credit of the bank. But now &creditor must seek for information not appearing on the books, before he can ascertain whether sums at the credit side of a concern are to be considered as among its assets.—Morning chronicle. In the midst of the grave discussions about political economy and national distress, it might perhaps be well to unbend ourselves a little occasionally, and seek for some subject that would call for less mental exertion on the I Part of our readers. Little as .the more ponderous class of writers are disposed to value the daily lucubrations of the periodical it press, there is certainly no species of writ ing in which is less easy to trifle. The newspaper writer is always praising or blaming—always aiming at the production of some effect on the opinion of the public, or on that of men in power. The reviewer has his book before him, and on all the contents he is at full liberty to enlarge as he pleases, whether those contents be purely speculative or directly practical. Writers in magazines are allowed to sweep over the whole range of • science and literature, All they have to do is to find, if possible, something new in this wide range, or to dress up some thing old in a new shape. None of them are bound like the newspaper writer to. watch the topic of the day— to direct their thoughts only , to what attracts the public attention for the moment—to determine, at least in a plau sible manner, what in all great public questions is the proper course to be pursued. If the subject be considered atten tively, it will be found that the conductors of a newspaper ought to possess more qualities than Cicero's orator. They ought to be philosophers, orators, statesmen, generals, ad mirals ; for they are obliged to give opinions on all subjects connected with these different departMents. In short, they ought to be what no human being ever was or will be. When we consider this, we are apt sometimes to swell into a sort of imaginary importance. Inhabiting the same forest, we begin almost to fancy that we belong to the more noble herd. Like the philosopher in "Rasselas," or the fly on the wheel, we 'are apt to imagine that the mo tions which we see about us are the result of our own vo lition, and we are willing to trace every event to the. hints and suggestions which we hav - e throWn out or inculcated. We have heard the names of some of our Conternporaries mentioned, whose. sphere of action is not much more ex tensive than our own, who ,yet fancy that no political event takes place but from their counsels—thatnepoint is carried .in the Cabinet without reading their leading ar ticles, 'arid no unfledged project cherished by Ministers hut what has been originally hatched in their columns.— Yet, in the midst of this swelling, the affairs of the nation are going on just as if these heroes of the single sheet did not oxin_jost as if the Times and the courier bad come! out blank---juht as if the art of mystification had never been discovered, and the demi-offielal tone never assumed at hazard. It ix a little mortifying, after we, have sub- Mined to the labours of a Minister of State---after we have balanced contending interests at home and abroad—'after giving our nights and our days to the affairs of the nation— that the nation should concern itself as little about our af fairs as. it - does about those of Interior Africa. Indeed„ the interior of a newspaper-office is to most people a terra incognita, and few who read our labours ever drearri of the. weary watchings which they have cost us. Well may a nation be proud which can 'command the efforts of so many for sixpence. Every thing is brought to the market in one or other of the Journals., All palates are suited. Thousands . of well-educated men have no earthly business to perform but that of- contributing to, the zest of their breakfast. Heaven and earth arc ransacked for, the sake of a single paragraph to astonish or amuse. From the horrid mur ders, dreadful catastrophes, shocking events, unmitural /Times, which figure in the columns of one of our contem poraries, to the monotonous complainings of another on the abuses of criminal and correctional law, there are a great number of shades distinguishing each of the rivals from its fellows; though the object of all is one—to please the palates of their readers, This we are willing freely to confess, on our own parts, in all cases where our read ers' pleasure and profit 00 not disagree. This is is all the merit we aspire to. (British Press.] Hoc sat erit. Scio me Dana's e classibus unum, Et bello Iliacos fatenr petiisse Penatea. EXECUTION. Joseph Ebbe (aged 23,) Edward Taylor, (ID), and Edward Eines, (28), convicted at our last Assizes of a burglary in the dwelling-house of Mr. Thomas torus, of Alcester, yesterday, Underwent the awful sentence of the law, in front of the County Gaol, in this beroUgh.. At an early hour in the morning, the Chaplain, the Rev. George Childe, who has been unceasing in his attentions to the unhappy men, visited them in their cells, and was engaged in prayer,with them for nearly two hours. At a few minutes before eleven they . were conducted to the scaffold, where their behaviour was such as, became their awfUl situation. Hines did not evince so much for titude as the others, but behaved with the greatest pro priety; He first mounted the platform, and on surveying the preparationrfor terminating his life, was evidently much affec ted . At this moment the attention of the un happy man was attracted by the agonizing cries of his brother, who was in the crowd. His eyes glanced for a moment upon the spectators below, and then towards the heavens, in which was heard the rolling of distant thunder.—Elwell and Taylor, who mounted the scaffold a few minutes after, displayed considerable firmness. Neither of the culprits indicated any desire to address the sl)ectators • but while the ropes were ad j ustin g , the action of their lips and hands showed that they were ab sorbed in prayer. Every thing being now ready, the fatal signal was given and the platform fell : Hines died al most instantaneously, Elwell s truggled a little, but Tayloi was convulsed for a considerable time after his unfortunate companions had expired. The unhappy men persisted to the last in saying, that neither of them fired a pistol at the prosecutor, as he de posed on the trial; and Hines, the night before his death wrote a letter to him, in which he charged hint with false swearing. He implored Mr. toms to see the lad who had "worn that he saw one of them put a flint the night of the robbery, and beg of him " for the sake of his t soul, to pray for forgiveness front the Almighty, for into a pistol on _ e h: crime he had committed in taking a false oath." The w ter also_ stated that the steel chain which Wm.lorns had at s ° B ill irn t t o in l 7l These unfortunate his brother's property, he (Hines) had bought Birmingham, some months before and had been for with a gang l en gth of time connected ' a te n)" were all natives . of Birmingham, of notorriVdle'ra'le thrice before convicted, $ thelor mice, tyvioves there. Hines had been since returned from transportation.—A 4- times, of various crimes,and Elwell th ree .t same C ourt; and the la ter had not long Jolt Express. POLICI. INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-HOUSE:—Biesmrcumu COACH, RoassaT.— • The man who called himself James Clifford, but who now did not deny his name to be Crowder, was brought' up again for ,re examination.. It will be recollected that the prisoner tendered a bl.'Sinning ham Bank-note for a suit. of clothes, but the note being found to he stolen, he was taken into custody. His defence was, that he received it from a person in the street, in payment for some goods sold by him. 'The Loan Miami. refused to believe this story, and said he slimed commit the prisoner for having the note in his possession, and uttering it, knowing it to he stolen. Mr. Humphries, who attended for the prisoner, declared that such a commitment would be illegal. He denied that the prisoner had committed any offence. He contended that the notes having been paid in London, were no more than so much waste paper, until they were issued by the bankers at Birmingham : that being thus valueless, no felony was committed with respect to them, and that it was no offence within any of the statutes to utter them. He cited, in support of this, the case of Astlett for stealing the Exchequer bills from the Bank of England. He mentioned a . similar case Which bad occurred, where he was concerned, where a woman was sentenced to 14 years' transportation by Mr. Ser geant Arabin, for having such a note in her possession. Upon representing the case at the Secretary of State's Office, Mr. Peel being satisfied of the illegality of the conviction, procured her a free pardon. Two other. of his clients were taken up for the same offence, when he determined to take the opinion of the Twelve Judges on the point : but his clients thought it expedient to plead guilty, on the understanding that they should he imprisoned for one month, rather than they should be in prison for 12 months for the decision of the I,udges. In fact, no doubt could be enter tained by lawyers that such a commitment would he illegal. The LORD Mayon expressed himself of a decidedly opposite opinion, and declared that he should commit the prisoner. Sonic deficiency in the technical proof occurred, and he remanded the prisoner that it might he supplied. His Lordship expressed his surprise that after the repeated heavy losses the bankers sustained by sending parcels by stage coaches, no arrangement was made with Government to send them by the post. lie entertained little doubt that Government would make an arrangement, and that it would be highly to the advan tage of the parties. W ATTR NEN's FARES.-It has latterly become a practice to bring all complaints against watermen before the Lord Mayor, in stead of taking them before the Rulen of the Watermen's Com pany. The object of the parties is, in most grievous cases, pub licity, which is not attainable by the latter course, though, with out it, the mere infliction of a penalty upon the offenders is of little or no consequence. The jurisdiction of the Rulers is pro perly, confined to adjudication of disputes between watermen. The latter, however, now prefer coming before the Magistrate. Two watermen were siumnoned before the Loan MAYOR, the one for making use of abusive language, the other for extort ing more than his fare frome the passengers of a steam-host. From the statement of the complaipants, it appeared,they are mechanics, who had gone a trip in one of the steam-boats, with their company. On their return at night they were charged by the waterman M. each for landing, or 4s. for each boat-load of eight. This the complainant* thought exorbitant, and they had sufficient spirit to bring the case before the Lo►d Mayor. One of the defendants began to call the party " lousy scamps," and said they could be nothing but a set of thieves, to behave " in that ere shabby manner," and caused them to be treated in such a manner as few persons, for the sake of a much larger sum, would venture to encounter. The LORD MAYOR fined this waterman ltis. and costs, for abuse ; and awarded the complainant, out of the fine, the value of his day's work, that he might not he * loser by his laudable con duct in bringing the case forward. His Lordship asked the water men what they considered to be their fare for taking a person across the water. The waterman scratched their heads and looked at each other before they gave any answer. They then acknowledged Ott . they were entitled to no more than Id. " sculls"' and 2d. " oars" for their fare. , The Loan MAYOR did not consider that the vratermen were entitled to more fOr taking a person on hoard a steam-vessel or landing him, than taking him across the water. He therefore should, if the watermen charged more than. Sd. (which he thought a fare that neither the public our the watermei► should object to), fine them for extortion. The watermensaill, that they generally charged only 3‘l. in the day-time ; but they thought themselves entitled to charge double in the night-time, as they hail the trouble of waiting Up. The Loan Mavon said, they should be glad that they had au opportunity of getting money by night as well as day, and surely these steam-boats, with 200 or tOO passenger, at 3(1. 'tech, were not bud things for the watermen at th• stairs. flecleelared that he could not think of sanctioning the dernabd for a higher fare al any time ; it should rather he reduced. He fined the waterman for extortion, and paid the complainant out of the fine for his loss of time. Watermen, his Lordship intimated, would find it their interest to be neither so insolent lior so extortionate to the passen gers of steam-boats. GUILDHALL—Mr. : Dick, a silversmith in Bell-yard, Tem ple-bar, appeared before Aldertuan Sir JOHN PIC/MING, Bart., yesterday, and stated that a paragraph had been published by most of the newspapers, alleging that his family had been poisoned by eating of a pie supposed to have been made of deleterious Hour. He now appeared before the Magistrate for the purpose of inform ing him of the re,nit of an antlyzation the dour had undergone. Upon his five children and the maidservant being seized with a violent retching within ten minutes of having eaten of the plum- • pie, a medical 'gentleman, Mr; Jones, of Chancery-lane, was called in, and by the prompt exhibition of antidotes, the whole of the suffaers were relieved, and restored to their usual state of health by the following day ; but a neighbour carried a specimen of the Mom, of Which about a teacup full only remained, to Mr. Clarke, of Apothecariesi-hull, who, after analyizing it, and also a part of the pie -crust, 641 delivered his opinion that one fourth part was pipe clay and chalk, and the rest of it was bean flour, or some other stuff not poisonous, but wheat formed no part of the com position. Sir JonN Pxxamo.—Where did you purchase it ? Mr. Dick replied, that his wife had purchased it (merely half a quartern) at Mr. Turner's, a sort of chandler's shop, in Bell -yard. Sir JOHN, after taking a minute of the circumstance, thanked Mr. Dick for exposing this baneful practice of adulteration. BOW-MEE:T.—Ave Sirx ALI bra.--This was a charge against two lads under Mr. Peel's recent Aet, - which has made the offence of stealing a few apples or other fruit, in an orchard, &'c. a felony. They were seen by a boy who gave information of the theft, and they were taken into custody. Mr. Minanur.ti referred to the Act 'of Parliament under which the charge was preferred, and said, that he had the power, upon vanviction, to order them to pay thrice the value of the fruit, and to fine them any sum not exceeding 201. ; and in default of pay ment, to commit them for six months to the Tread Mill. Ile asked what was the value of the fruit found on the prisoners? " There were fifteen plume, The servant of the prosecutor said, value one penny." Mr. Mixsuum..—One penny only;-that is very trifling indeed. If I send these hole to a gaol, they will not be improved in their morels; and tea to one but they are ruined for ever It was stated, that one of the boys bore a very good character, and his matter would come forward in his behalf. Mr. gliesnuee said, that lie could not look over the offence, but he Would be as lenient as possible. He i ordered the prisoners to pay thi`ee Ponce—thrice the value of the fruit, and also, the cum of 2s. 6d. each as apenalty, and tribe committed to gaol in default. The master of one of the lads came forward, and paid the money, or they must have gone to prison. Alexander Dallas, a street-keeper or beadle of St. Mary-le- Strand, was charged with assaulting a gentlemen on Tuesday night last, et half-pot ten o'clock, opposite Somerset House. Dallas, in his defence, said that he luut orders from some of the parish officers to make every one ago on. Mr. Altrisitoer, said; if he followed, such absurd orders, he would, get himself into a good deal of ,trouble. • Dallas requested the gentleman not to press the charge, and offered to make a public apology. The gentleman accepted the offer—Dallas begged his pardon, and the matter dropped. Mr. MINSHULL complimented the complainSntvon his for bearance in accepting a n a p o l o gy from the accused. Jane Grant, a VennUill above bo years of a g e, was charged with felony 'in the house of Mrs. Erneeis, alias Conway, No. 16, Lisle -street, Leiceeter-square. The prosecutrix, a dashing woman, it the noted Mother Conway, mistress of an establishment for a certain description of females, in Lisle-street. A short*time ago Mother Wood, the mistress of another house in the same street, of o th f e de sa h m tp e an d d est.Li n p i t , i e o y i ed i, h t a o vi ii ng a bee vo n i ta te k o eVnto custody on suspicion the ' prosecutrix in this case left her own house to superintend the more fashio na ble esta blishment of Mother Wood. The prisoner was put in charge of the prosecutrix's house the while, and having beet euepected cif receiving "fees," which she' had not. accounted for to the prose matrix, she was discharged from her situation at a moment's "" ti " on Friday li4i. On Saturday ', articles being rniesed °Y Mother Conway, she employed a tilileible to search the prisoner's llodgings in CCastle-street, Leicester . square, and there be found books, wesring appirel, 41k-dresses, lidett,a tea-caddie, and other article. which - the proseeutrix deposed had been stolen from her house: The prisoner said, the articles * were her own property, ex cept tke silk dress and cloak, which had , been placed in her care by a Miss Johnson, who was lately one of the inmates of the prosecutria's establishment, -but, ,having become enciente, she had retired frorn public life for a time. - Mr. Mnisnum. asked the prosecutrix if she did not keep two houses of ill-fame?—She replied " No, Sir, I only keep one; I look after the other for Mrs. Wood, who is in the Bench." Mr. MlNsHum. told .her that she was an infamous woman, and could not expect that her property would be secure under the prisoner's protection.. The prosecutrix exclaimed "I ought to have the protection of the laws as well as other persons. Why should Ibe robbed?" Mr. 311issittm, said, that certainly she was entitled to the pro tection of the laws, and he should commit the prisoner for the robbery. The prisoner applied to have 51. Ss. which the, constable had taken from her, restored to her. Mr. Illtrisnutd, ordered the constable to return the woman her money. The prisoner also applied to have two watches, found upon her, restored to her; but the Magistrate said that he should not com ply with her second request, as an owner would, in all probability, be found for thorn.—The prisoner was committed. 31ARYLEBONE-OFFlCE.—Yesterday Henry Bell, who keeps the King's Head and Artichoke in the Regent's-park, was charged by Thomas Reece, a waiter belonging to the New Hum mums, with the following aggravated assault :—Thomas Reece stated, that as he was walking with his wife in Regent-street, at about half-past eleven o'clock on Saturday night, he left her for a few minutes at the corner of Beak-street. When he returned, he found she hail crossed the road, to get rid (as she informed him) of a gentle Man who obtruded himself upon her . company, and wanted her to have something to drink. Reece and his wife then proceeded along Regent-street, followed by Bell, who, overtaking them at the corner of John-street and Margaret-street, seized the complainant by the throat, called him by the must disgusting name, and threatened to knock his head off. Upon this, a watch man was called, and he was taken into custody. _ _ _ Bell, who stood laughing as if he was highly amused, although reminded by the Magistrate that he had nothing to laugh at, said, " That woman which he calls his wife first accosted' me, and all I said him at the corner of Margaret street was, ' what are you going to do with that woman ?" Mrs. Reece, who had before corroborated her husband's state ment, was now called forward a second time, and the following questions were put by Mr. Ilnotrawrox :—Upon your oath, did you speak to Bell in the first instance?—No, Sir, I did not. Did you ever see him before he addressed you on Saturday night ?—Never, Sir, to my knowledge. Are you married to Thomas Reece?-1 am, Sir. Mr. firtouctirm.4.—Thomas Bell, you have been guilty of a most gross assault, which you have this day aggravated by insinua tions against the character of a married woman; you must, there fore, fi nd bail to answer for your conduct at the sessions. WORSIIIP-STREET.—A fellow of about forty years of age, named Michael Kelly, was charged with assaulting a child named Catherine Swift. The prisoner was ordered to find bail for as saulting the child. UNION-HALL.--ELorruzNr.--Yesterday morning, after the night charges were disposed of, a remarkably smart decent-looking young woman, named Mary Anne Tiaihree, was placed in the slip (the place appropriated for prisoners), on the undermentioned charge, which was specified thus in the Beadle of Newington's book :—" Martin Timbree charges Mary Anne, his wife, with having deserted her family, taking with her all the said Martin Timbree's moveable property." The Beadle (Preston) com menced the tale of the elopement, while Martin Timbree, the ac cuser, stood by his aide. The latter personage is a man advanced in years, being nearly double the age of his frail fair one. It ap peared that on Friday week, during a thunder storm that raged with great violence in the neighbourhood of Salisbury, Martin Tirnbree, who resides in that part of the absent from his dwelling, when his wi leaving three children in one of the town that was then passing, and arrived in to , " moveable property," as he called it, c money, awl the remainder in clothes any his arrival at home, discovered his losses. wife was attached to a shoemaker that had recently left it, and taken up his ahot it seems, had been observed lurking day prior to the elopement, and when the lie immediately concluded that his goo, .. the shoemaker. 'finance accordingly proceeded after them to town, awl on his arrival,- succeeded in tracing the guilty pair" to e house in the parish of Newington, and having procured the as sistance of the beadle, he entered the room where his wife was sitting. The shoemaker being warned of their approach, leaped out of a back-room window on the second floor. The Magistrate, at the conclusion of the above statement, the recital of which caused much laughter, addressing Timbree, said, " I'll not keep your wife in custody. I shall give her up to you but recollect, that ,you are not bound to maintain her if she has been, living in adultery with another man." Timbree, who, 'it appeared, had a couple of hours' conversation with hie wife, that =thing, previous to her having been brought before a Magistrate, replied, " Your Worship, I'll look over all that has happened, if my dear wife only promises not to do the like again." _ _ _ Mrs. Timbree, however, instead of showing the slightest con trition in her behavionr, broke out into a fit of laughter at the conclusion of her husband's declaration. Upon which Timbree said, " I don't mind that even ; ni take her back again, although 1 know she cares as little about me; as the stick I have in my hand." , lo Mr. CHAMBERS.--HOW can you take her away ? You Callllol oblige her to accompany you. timbree.—" Your Worship, I'll be bound to make her go with me; my horse is in town, , and I shall place her foremost, and myself behind her, and we will ride down together to Salisbury. I'll take care she shall not get off to the shoemaker again so easily as she has done." Mr. CuAstonts, here directed Mts. Titubree to be discharged. The moment she got outside the place in which she was confined, it was truly laughable to observe poor Timbre., who, eager to prefent her from running away, rushed out of the office himself, without ceremony, knocking down three or four persons who stood in. his way, in his anxiety to baffle a meeting between his wife anti her paramour,' When Timbree got into the passage of the office, he was heard to exclaim_" Alt, Mrs. Timbree, I have caught you now, and I'll be hang'd if I don't keep, you too l" EXCURSION TO TUE NORE. On Saturday morning (the birth-day of hie most gracious Ma jesty), the commodious steam vessel Eclipse, Captain Reid, matt ed from n off the Tower Stair", about half-put eight, with a com pany, consisting of nearly four hundred persons, for an excursion to the Nore, and round his Majesty's Fleet, .lying in the River Medway, in aid of the Fund for the assistance of the unemployed Printers. The morning wag exceedingly auspicious, far shove the expectation of the most sanguine. The band, which was nu , merous and complete, delighted the gay assemblage with several celebrated airs, going (101,17 1 the Ri ver . Af ter t h e company had partaken of breakf as t i n t h e pr i nc i pal cabin, they went on d ec k, when the awning watt put up, and the Ball opened by two littlegirls, about "evert years of age, pupils of the celebrated Mr. Wilson, who on this occasion, acted as Master of the Ceremonies. While a part of the company were tripping it away on l the " light fantas tic toe, " on the after-deck, the other part on the fore-deck were highly amused by some excellent comic^ songs, sung in a very .humorous manlier by professional gentlemen. On passing round the fleet lying in the river Medway, his Majesty's health was drank, and th ree h earty c h eers g i ven its honour of his' birth=day, which was answered by the men on board the fleet, cheering and waving 01;4 hats, The vessel.anehored and remained an hear off Sheerness, and after ; the company had dined, she steered her course towards borne. The dance Ins again resorted to by th e softer sex, while the chief cabin was crowded by gentlemen drink ink, greatest passage' home, and the vessel arrived at the Tower a short time after eight, • company departing highly excursion. Indeed t hroughout the whole day vas thkeeiprt7u;edialrnidngsitnifeing. excellent Isho.ngs.hilarity pleased with their . there seemed to be a general desire in the persons assembled to a the 'Cork . Make each other happy, and the vo y a g e was com pletely sneeesaful in its object—pleasure to those en g a g ed in it, and a s sistance to the unfortunate. an action against the Shamrock Insurance /utilizes on the 7 th inst. Mr. Knight, , the o wner o f the b rig West Indian, 131.0111 M, marine i nsurance cause was tri e d t Com panyi for the r ecover y -of 2,7001. insure d on the newel, freight, and part of the cargo, on a voyage from Jamaica to Cork, in the autumn of 1824, the vessel having put into Savannah in reat distress, where she was sold for 1251 . The insur ance was e ff ected with the Shamrock Company ; whose business has since been trawl ferred to the Royal Irish. Three Directors of the Shamrock, who had signed the policy, were held to be responsible ; but they were indemnified by the Directors of th e Royal - Irish. The claim wet resisted on the ground that Mathews,' the master of the West . Indian, had not acted with discretion in selling the vessel, as she had been repaired by the purchaser, and was now under American colours. A verdict was given against the company for 2,298/. and 6d. costs. MEETINGS dF REDITOII. LONDON DIARY; Txuasnav, AUGUST 17. (At the Court of Commissioners.) T. Gibbons, jun. Wells, mereltinf J. F. Lave ll, Portland -street, "Wilworth, cheesemonger J. Offor, Cambridge, bookseller W. Perrin, Chatham, 'grocer D. Pinners, Charlotte-street, Fitzroy 44ttare, coal-merchant 2 he country, happened to he rife locked up the house, tus, took aireat in the stage, own with . 4.11 her Inthand's of about 2001. in rd line k; Poor Martin, on cc. tre:teenllected that his lived in thi villagle, but who lode in Lotohiti.. , lrtt man, about Timbrec i iiog6iie the the latter heard Grads fart, ,ifc had gone off with the COUNTRY DIARY. W. and R. Burbidge, Birmingham—Mr. Parker's, Birming ham II J. Dixon, Walsall—Woo!pack, Birtningham E. J. Glynn, Bodmin—Hotel Bodmin J. Goodeve, sen. Devonport--Hotel, Devonport J. Gregory, Manchester—George, Liverpool J. Liveaey, Farnworth—Stlr, Manchester 1 DISTRESS OP THE SHOPKEEPERS.—No class of persons in the country have suffered more by the stagnation of trade than the grocers and hucksters and smaller draperain the manufacturing towns. Their sole dependence is on the pro sperity of the working daises, who are their only customers. During the few years of commercial prosperity, many of them were doing well, and apparently making money, but they now find themselves beset with difficulties on all hands. Their gene ral mode of doing " business, is to give credit to persons aid families employed in cotton-mills and other public woiks from one week to another, and numbers of their cus tomers, by leaving a small balance at one settlement and a small balance at another, have, in the course of a few'Yeari,l'un themselves considerably into their debt. While confulenee. and credit and hank discounts were to he had for the asking, this Mr cumstance occasioned little inconvenience, but since the re-action it has been severely felt. The want of employknent and ' elec. tion of wages is so general among the tnanufacturingpopulatinn ,that even the most prudent and economical among them find they bare• enough to do to make their reduced incomes meet their mtpen" 4 without being able to pay any part of what they, were formerly owing , and besides there are many persons who take advantage of s time like the present as an excuse for not paying their just debts.-- In the greater number of cases, therefore, the grocers find it in 3:, possible to collect any part of their outstanding debts, and so great us the want of credit and confidence in every branch and dig's" - mint of business, that they find it very difficult to obtain their supplies of goods without ready money. Some of them who built houses and shops during more prosperous times, must LW doubt regret that they have not the money eo laid out now It command. Indeed it is painful to see among this clue solorY industrious and respectable individuals, who only a short time she were in comparatively easy and affluent circumstances, • now I"' duced almost to the verge of bankruptcy and ruin...—Jfanched er Gazette. AWFUL CATASTROPHE.-011 Monday a fternoon last, a sensation of horror pervaded the whole town of Cong leton, when it wax known that an ancient Couple, Joseph Dales and h is wife, who resided in a yard behind Lawton-street, in tha t town, had been literally burnt to cinders—be was 69 , his wife wa Soon after 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the cottage of Joseph NS was discovered to be on fire, when John Staton , a man in S her'. ploy of Mr. Hutton, ironmonger, went to the scene of conflatra tion ; he called to the unfortunate inm a t e s but received on an• ewer—his father had previously heard Mrs. Dales ejaculate, 0' Lord ! Vora! Staton forced his way into the house, wilt' the first object which presented to his view was the *nu& sufferer'on the staircase, he immediately laid hold of her hind a nd al drag her out of the house, when, lo! the flesh parted from t " - bona and she was a corpse. His father then threw stater her, whilst he went into the High-street and rang : thi firs r ed Before the engines arrived, he had returned and having prom'. a ladder, had ascended to a cockloft over the house. Th e e ,"; gins arrived and played, whereby the fire was entitew"l abated, and he was thus enabled to discover the mutilated C' main, of the old man. The skeleton was quite doubled nr , and no trace of the human features was discoverable. .All that could be collected of the remains of the defunct was placed in sheet, and with the corpse of his wife, conveyed to the son's boo' ' adjacent. - The fire, it is supposed, was occasioned by the Ad m an going into the coekloft with a lighted candle, and as thee* "la; quantity of dried rushes there, they ignited, and thus ocetkaione the calamity which we now deplore. At twelve o'clock on l' day, en inquest was held at the house 'of Mr. Hargreaves, 1"e Antroinis Anus, betUre Johu .Hollins, Eeq. Coroner, and Yer. : i respectable Jury, when a verdict was returned of Accident' Death.—Macclesfield Herald. LONDON. MARKETS. PRICE OF BREAD. wIA for th° The highest price of Bread in th e Aletropolts is arr. m . o . 41lb. Loaf—There are others wh o sell from a halfpenny t o pence halfpenny below that price. PRICE O) SEEDS.—Atm. New Englibh Red Clover Seed (per Cwt.) . s2s. &'a, tine Old Ditto Ditto r 4Bs. fine !, ( Po. , New 'Foreign Ditto ' bOs• Sty. Ant aig. iiii - e ißil•-r, 844. 6 011 . 1631. 301. 4Sf. fine _,, 451. i s, 211. Ws. 6 fier‘` Oh f3s. , 111 fine r - J, 0. 2fts. 325. tine ''',,sss. Ws. 30e. Me i , & i g is 00 6 . -.....11NF0 955. 28 1 • -b• ,Da 00 1 St: koin ...--..........(per 4uarter) Rye ,Grass Pacey for - Linseed, for feeding IX*. 34i. n i ' s ' A ntiv• mi.; 31 1 1. 1 * Sneer' - .,,,,, ,, Canary Seed, ICess•-411. Rl . fine UV., 1 Ifis -Old 0111. Oaf- 110' duet' ,„ White Mustard Seed .. (per 8u5he1 '.,._.,,,.,. - 0(k. 1: 15 - '''' tint"' Brown Ditto _ Mg NA 215- :1;,, - ••••••••••••••••....*". . . . . ~.,_ Turnip Seeds UN. 1 4 s. . It/ "' pm. Iq' Tares, Old ...- hs. Od. 7s. Oct. tine Ss, mi. New Ms. Os. li t to 21 , . Rape Seed, English, fine (per Last) 171. to 191...... Forelf)2,----- old Ditto f New Wh i ti Old Mt, New Oki flat Rib Gra, Englibh Carraway Seed Foreign Ditto Coriander - - PRICE OF OIL n Rape Oil,. brown 6s. Refined ip 10 Linseed 1$ ft Linwed Oil Cake at the Mill, per thotband:,------- -- A Rape Cake, per ton I WHITECHA AY MARKET.--Am' Li . tom' tp 104 a. Od. Od. to I3os. Od„ I Hay... clover. — ., .... p l ac 'll k l e C t4 k.S . OF . 110 PS (p er, c w t . .)._Avo. li. ,N . Kent..,. Pl. 9s. 101. 11. to 111: Oa, K ent to. 10 , - ~ 62. ~,. Bae . to 10., N. Sussex $E 10s. 91- OA to IX Us, s osa , ox SL 0 . , w t . 0. iu. '"" 1 Essex— 91. Os. 91. ISx. to 144. 111. Essex a IN * .- la '- Farnham, tine (Pockets) 121, O. t o I I . ni......5=—.41,, RI. Oa. to Old Duty laid at 183,0001. _____....._.--•---- PRICE OF 14. c am. Potatoes PRICER OF LEATHER. d. Perth. d. d. Per lb. 1/ ' - 18 to 561 b.--. oto 0. Term e d Horse flideei..." , t 0 Ditt0.......-00 to 0 to 0 Spanish Dressing Hides RI to 15 Per dozen. is too Fine Catch Hide: 15 to 17 CaII 3t/ -ob. ~,t1 Crop Ilidess 35 to 4015. Ito 15 50 to L it , 0 ; to 5011).... 1 4 to 17 Ditto 70 tO rtd Ditto. 17 to to *mu Mealy, RAW HIVES. ' Per stone. s i t o 101. 6 Per Stone, s. s. d. Best Heifers and Steers 26t0 2 t3l Ordinary Middlings 2 2 to 9 4 Market Calf I Sh s :11(. 7 0,7,v • at . . 48 ti t I, 30.: 6 IbtC l; .l : 6 10,0 lcer rade' Hartley ja Washara rtigi, :54 0 Walla 1:114 )190"-, p %Tux, r i fgl . 'lv?, 0 s .vni°__" SHEEP SKINS. Os. Od. to Oa. I Lavotxt...—.ls. Od. to Is. , AL MARKET.—Atra. 28 9 Burdon---.... 28 9 'l7 0 Beetles Main 27 0 Blacktriars --. 27 0 }landau 2 0 Forrest Main 27 6 31 6 Hebburn Main.... 31 0 Holywell 9, Killingworth ..—. 29 p Main-26 61 Ord's Redhugh 23 0 Pelaw so n s. d. Shipcote, 2O ti Tantield M00r...—. 31 3 29 9 Willington.......— 30 0 Wylon.- WS 9 WallsiEndliewicke3l 0 W. E Browtes—.. 29 0 W. E. Borratott— 29 0 W. ECrantlingtonfl 0 W. E. Green'o—. 27 0 W. E. Hilda.. 27 6 W. E.' Newmann 30 9 W. E. Northumb. Mt 0 W. E. litteseH's 32 3 Pontop Simplon VI 0 Ships at Market, in—ShiPs Geld, 57 On Frid ay , the 11th It' h. 1,441 her me Boileau, of a dal hte r Saturday b l3 4:i3 e l;o l: n ri e n etictfa. ( l64 l l ° es esi f t ris : tat d ,lhau_ i a r ti -e g h h in te -t r ila ti ne ellt i- r.. frn' : 44l:a oo llid( l ir i la.:D e ttet* ld i : el o 7 f s°l4lli' h e itt .ltlL;l:7ll7.:A:::6U,:::lll::: a t se p ch of Ga William the I4th fist., at St. Georges, Bloonubury 11ligt111 r Raymund, ,naYmoud, M.A. Rector of Stretio", An* Esq. of Upper Wofiorn-pitce,i t o ' ottl l °' youngest daughter of the late James Currie, ) I ** Wyioillilaiamfuth,,ALbimtocotrghteitr.n:insttiE.tr'ir.o;fa.a.tigedttirne.n,lat"OfwteoliFtviel:l:ll4l4lloleikkitnhsowaingte`"' Ef4l" or two ye' torastldotatinrlollol:uti /1 the °n - Printk and Published by M. YOUNG, as rho SU S No. I lt, Strand.